Daelim Begins Core Construction Process of Turkey's Largest Canakkale Bridge

Installation of the worker's footboard 'Cat Walk' for the main cable of the suspension bridge in progress

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] Daelim Industrial and SK Engineering & Construction announced on the 2nd that they are successfully progressing with the installation of the cat walk on the ?anakkale Bridge in Turkey, which is being constructed as the world's longest suspension bridge. This comes about five months after completing the construction of the world's tallest steel main tower in June.

A cat walk is a temporary facility that serves as a working platform for workers installing the main cables of a suspension bridge. The term also refers to narrow passageways built in theaters or TV studios, derived from the image of a cat carefully walking through tight spaces.

A suspension bridge is a type of bridge where the main towers are connected by cables, and the deck is hung vertically from these cables by suspenders. It allows for the longest span length between towers among existing bridges, making it one of the most challenging fields in marine special bridge construction and design. In particular, cable installation is considered the most critical process in suspension bridge construction. All work is carried out in the air above the sea, directly exposed to weather conditions such as wind and humidity, making construction difficult. As the cables are installed, their shape and load change in real time, requiring precise engineering analysis and meticulous process management.

The cat walk provides a workspace for workers during the approximately one-year cable installation process. It is carefully constructed as a suspension bridge-like structure composed of steel cables, lattice-patterned wire mesh, and wood forming the floor and railings. The lowest point is about 90 meters above the sea, and the highest point reaches 318 meters. Its shape resembles the cables to be installed, so from a distance, it looks like the suspension bridge's cables. The cat walk installation is scheduled to be completed by December, after which cable installation work will commence immediately.

The ?anakkale project is a public-private partnership (BOT: Build-Operate-Transfer) project that involves constructing and operating the world's longest 3.6 km suspension bridge and an 85 km connecting road, then transferring it to the Turkish government. It connects the Lapseki and Gelibolu regions of ?anakkale Province, which face each other across the ?anakkale Strait.

Daelim Industrial and SK Engineering & Construction formed a consortium with two local Turkish companies in January 2017 and won the contract after fierce competition with a Japanese firm. The total project cost is approximately 3.5 trillion KRW. It is a developer project that involves not only design, procurement, and construction but also participation as the project operator, guaranteeing operational revenue after completion. The total project duration, including construction and operation, is 16 years and 2 months, with completion expected in the second half of 2021.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.